By DAYO ADESULU
Shi’ite Leader Links Nigeria’s Insecurity to Political Actors and Foreign Interests
A new viral video featuring the Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, has sparked fresh debate over the roots of Nigeria’s security crisis. In the video, the Shi’ite cleric makes sweeping claims, alleging that the United States created Boko Haram, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and continues to fund the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
El-Zakzaky’s comments, now circulating widely online, form part of a broader accusation that Nigeria’s persistent insecurity is not organic but engineered by politicians in power and reinforced by foreign interests. The El-Zakzaky insecurity allegations have reignited national conversations on terrorism, governance failures, and international interventions in the Sahel.
“Politicians Engineered Insecurity” — El-Zakzaky
In the trending video clip, El-Zakzaky argues that Nigeria’s insecurity woes did not occur naturally but were deliberately created by individuals in government. According to him, the ongoing violence could end immediately if those responsible chose to stop it.
He stated:
“The insecurity problem in Nigeria was created by politicians in power. If they want to stop it today, they would, because they are the ones who engineered it.”
The cleric questioned how individuals previously known as cattle rearers suddenly transformed into heavily armed combatants with sophisticated weapons. He pointed to the appearance of armoured vehicles in remote forests as evidence that the insurgency is being supplied and protected by powerful interests.
“How come those people who are known to be cattle rearers have guns in the bush? How come those people they call bandits have armoured vehicles in the bushes and they call them terrorists?” he asked.
“Where did these tankers come from? From the earth, or they moved through? Everybody knows the authorities are behind this insecurity. If they want to stop it today, they can stop it.”
These remarks deepen the El-Zakzaky insecurity allegations that Nigeria’s security networks are compromised by internal political actors.
Cleric Blames U.S. for Terror Groups in Africa
In one of the most controversial parts of the video, El-Zakzaky alleged that the United States government created Boko Haram and ISIS, adding that the West continues to fund ISWAP and ISIS operations in Africa.
He claimed:
“By inviting the U.S., which we know very clearly is behind all this insecurity… U.S. created Boko Haram. U.S. is funding Boko Haram. U.S. created ISWAP, they created ISIS, and they confessed it openly.”
According to him, the objective of these alleged foreign interventions is to destabilise African states and exploit their natural resources. He insisted that terrorism in Africa has geopolitical motivations extending beyond domestic factors.
El-Zakzaky added:
“They said they would use terrorism to conquer Africa. Now you expect them to bring the remedy to what they caused? What do you expect? Mass killings of people.”
The cleric argues that wherever valuable resources exist—gold, oil, gas—there tends to be foreign-backed military intervention disguised as counter-terrorism operations.
These claims form a central part of the El-Zakzaky insecurity allegations, though they have not been independently verified.
“Foreign Actors Exploit Nigerian Conflicts”
El-Zakzaky further accused international forces of choosing sides in local conflicts, claiming that their involvement often reflects economic interests rather than humanitarian concerns.
In the video, he said:
“They will come to steal our resources. You will see them where there is gold, oil, gas, and other security resources. That is why you will see them protecting Christians in Zamfara and Katsina.”
His comments appear to reference the increased presence of foreign security experts and intelligence personnel across parts of northern Nigeria, a development that analysts often link to the global scramble for mineral deposits in the region.
Background: Longstanding Critic of Western Policy
El-Zakzaky, detained for years following clashes between IMN members and the Nigerian Army, has remained a controversial figure in national politics. His movement, known popularly as the Shi’ite sect, has repeatedly accused the Nigerian government of repression and systemic religious bias.
The cleric’s latest remarks come at a time when Nigeria’s security agencies face heightened public scrutiny due to continued attacks in the North-West, North-East and parts of the Middle Belt. His assertions reflect widespread public frustration but also raise questions about the accuracy and implications of such allegations.
The El-Zakzaky insecurity allegations are expected to deepen public debates on whether Nigeria’s security crisis is rooted primarily in local governance failures or in international geopolitical dynamics.
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